This is How it Ends
by Anime-Blade
Summary: Oneshot AE. It's right before the sealing of the shadow realm. The High Priest is trying to convince the Pharaoh that there has to be another way to seal the realm. minor scandalshipping.


**This is How it Ends**

Shadows danced across the room, stretching across the floor and walls. They avoided the few scattered torches that gave the area its only source of light. The only other luminance came from seven golden items- The sacred Sennen Items that were meant to harness the powers of the Realm. At this time though, the shadows were becoming out of hand. They could not be so easily controlled anymore by the Items bearers- fighting against them instead. The beasts from the Realm roamed free, destroying all and obeying none.

They were forced to stop their use of the Realm, needing to close it. The Shadows thrived off of their users, but could not do so if they were no longer summoned. So they took matters into their own hands.

At first the Shadows were only able to work through the golden items, but with time they found other ways…

The Shadows found that they were connected to the lands ruler, as well as a thief. Pharaoh Atemu and Thief King Bakura, both held their own control over the Realm and shadows. The two clashed though, one wanting to seal the realm while the other had no desire to even think it. The two fought against each other instead, which only made matters worse.

It was the Pharaohs' priests that discovered that the Realm survived through their summoner's. It led them to believe that if they simply did not summon the Shadows then all would be well. But of course this solved nothing…

Summoning's were severed- and at first it seemed everything would turn out fine, but it would not be so.

Because of their natural link to the Realm, both pharaoh and thief were attacked by the Shadows. They fed from their very life energy, since they had no other option if they wished to survive. It went unnoticed for some time, until the pharaoh fell ill. Physically there was of course nothing wrong with him, and it puzzled everyone. The High Priest knew better though, finding a way to prove the rulers current state.

They had no choice but to seal the Realm for good, lest they allow their king to die before them. The sealing ceremony that was to take place needed a soul sacrifice, but the priests refused to let their ruler's soul be destroyed. It was decided that two halves would be sacrificed instead.

Both connections had to severed, so as not to let the Realm have any hope of escaping concealment. Pharaoh and Thief would both loose half their soul- or so was thought. What the priests were planning though was to not allow the souls to be destroyed, but instead sealed for a millennia and then to be released.

Fate had other plans…

In the center of the dank room a makeshift bed had been made, which currently held the ruler. Kneeling on the floor next to him was the High Priest, who was still searching for an alternative to giving up his Pharaoh. He wanted to refuse going through with the ceremony, but knew that if the other said it, he would have to obey. The entire thing was killing them both; one physically and the other emotionally. At the moment, the priest was once again attempting to alter his kings' decision.

"Do not ask of me something I cannot do, Seto." Crimson eyes looked pleadingly into the sapphire ones of his priest. His fingers were laced through the others, griping his hand tightly. If there had been another way to seal the Realm, he would be agreeing to the brunette's words, but he knew that wasn't so.

"Why do you act as if you have no power over this? With a single word we could be working on another way to seal the Realm." He didn't understand why and didn't particularly want to either. Why was he making it so final, without letting himself and the other priests seek an alternative first?

"Yes, but you and I both know there is no other way." His reply was whispered, the other straining to hear him. The ruler kept his gaze locked with the sorrow filled one beside him, "Why are you acting as if this is it? That everything just ends here?"

Seto avoided answering the question directly, "What if something goes wrong?" Of course he knew nothing of the sort would happen. He had already seen what would happen to his pharaoh, and he hated it.

"Nothing will go wrong. I trust you and the others to see to that." He smiled, though it couldn't reach his eyes like it used to. Releasing his hold on the others hand he lightly cupped the brunette's cheek, "Pharaoh's aren't supposed to worry, that's what the priests should be doing."

"I don't want to be Pharaoh though. I know not how to rule, that was to be your duty and I to be High Priest." The other was practically telling him to kill him and rule Egypt. "I can't do what you're asking of me, Atemu."

"Yes you can. As High Priest you are meant to help me rule, so do not say you can't." He had faith in the priest, trusting him more then any other. After all, his life hung on the decision that the brunette would have to make.

He hung his head in defeat, though he would never except what it meant. "I don't want to loose you, Atemu, after only just getting you back." Tears wanted to fall, to break free and show just how much pain this was causing him.

"You aren't losing me, Seto, so stop acting like we'll never see each other again." Those were the words that brought the blue eyes looking up again, locking once more with the crimson gaze of his rulers. The priest said nothing as he nodded, the other smiling once again.

So it was decided, the sealing ceremony would commence as planned even though he had tried to put a stop to it. He was going to loose his ruler, regardless of what he had said. His opinion remained, the Pharaoh was too trusting in his abilities, thinking he could rule perfectly well. He was doubtful though, unsure if he could take the responsibilities being thrown at him.

Seto's gaze never once left his ruler once the ceremony started. He knew he had to take his part in this, it pained him to stay where he was. His Pharaohs' soul was being torn in half and he couldn't do anything to stop it- he was the cause of the others suffering. He had no choice but to finish though, lest they destroy the other. He hardly noticed the tears that streaked down his rulers cheeks, they could have been there for other reasons. No, he knew his Pharaoh was pain from the strangled screams escaping him.

Why did he have to do this? Being forced to inflict this pain on his cousin, knowing it would not be the last time he would do so.

The priest thought it would be done with when their spell had been cast, that his ruler was gone. But no, he was still taking his last breaths he found once he kneeled next to the figure again. Dulled and slightly blurry red eyes looked to the emotionally torn priest at his side. Two simple words left his mouth, "Hold me"

The barrier broke as crystalline drops fell from sapphire blue eyes, the priest moving to sit on the bed, embracing his cousin as asked. He refused to let go, as if the simple embrace would keep his love in the realm of the living. Seto knew though that it was no hope, even as he placed a kiss on the others lips.

Petal soft kisses on dying red lips.


End file.
